Know What's Happening in Supply Chain
Know What's Happening in Supply Chain
Ningbo Ocean Shipping launches $390M fleet and container expansion
Ningbo Ocean Shipping's board approved a capital program exceeding $390 million to boost its fleet and container inventory. Up to $246 million will fund four 1,900‑TEU feeder vessels, while $145 million is earmarked for acquiring 64,500 TEU of new containers.
Also developing:
VIA Labs announced at Embedded World 2026 the release of two industrial‑grade USB hub controllers, the VL819i (5 Gbps) and VL822i (10 Gbps). The devices are offered in Q7 (9 × 9 mm) and Q8 (10 × 10 mm) packages, supporting USB‑A and USB‑C downstream ports with pin‑to‑pin and BOM compatibility. Designed for extended‑temperature operation (‑40 °C to +85 °C), they target machine‑vision, high‑performance peripherals, and embedded systems. The VL822i adds Multiple‑IN transaction support to lower latency when multiple 5 Gbps devices share a 10 Gbps host.
Math Magic’s Hitem3D v2.0 launches as an AI‑driven platform that turns a single photograph into a production‑ready 3D model within minutes. The upgrade adds high‑resolution 1536³ texture output and structure‑aware synthesis to improve mesh stability and reduce post‑processing. By simplifying the...
The Pentagon’s six‑month ban on Anthropic’s Claude has exposed a blind spot in enterprise AI risk management: most firms cannot map the full chain of AI model dependencies. A Panorays survey shows only 15% of CISOs have complete visibility, while...
The article examines the rise of "lights‑out" or dark‑factory manufacturing, where robotics, AI, and machine‑vision enable production with minimal human presence. While high‑volume, low‑variability lines—such as Chinese EV plants—show impressive productivity gains, the piece warns that full automation falters in...
In this episode the host breaks down the most important warehouse KPIs for small businesses, organizing them into receiving/shipping, put‑away, picking, order management, storage, labor, and safety categories. Each metric—such as receiving efficiency, picking accuracy, inventory turnover, labor utilization, and...
Cyngn announced a commercial contract to install its DriveMod Tugger at WEG’s electric‑motor plant in Bluffton, Indiana. The autonomous tugger will move up to 60 pallets of components daily, replacing single‑pallet forklift runs. By handling predictable transport, the system frees forklift...
Metamorphic AM has introduced Rapid Geometry Review, a service that provides expert Design for Additive Manufacturing (DfAM) evaluation before production. The offering assesses structural logic, printability, material suitability, manufacturability, and missed geometric opportunities, aiming to cut risk and accelerate development....
Siemens announced a verified AI‑driven cybersecurity solution for private industrial 5G networks, developed with Palo Alto Networks. The offering integrates Siemens’ private 5G infrastructure, the SINEC Security Monitor, and Palo Alto’s next‑generation firewall optimized for OT protocols, delivering IEC 62443‑grade protection...
Southco has launched the R4‑50 Rotary Latch with Dual Triggers, a heavy‑duty cab‑door solution for off‑highway and agricultural equipment. The latch offers independent interior and exterior actuation, a pre‑loaded hand lever that dampens vibration, and mechanisms to prevent accidental release....
AutomationDirect has launched the STRIDE PRO Unmanaged+ industrial Ethernet switches, which extend basic unmanaged functionality with features like IGMP snooping, VLAN support, port monitoring, and alarm capabilities. The product line includes PoE, PoE+, and Gigabit models with up to 12...
AutomationDirect launched the Sensy 2172L single‑point, 5510 shear‑beam, and 2782 tension/compression load‑cell series, targeting applications from small packaging scales to rugged industrial tanks. The cells are constructed from aircraft‑grade aluminum or stainless steel, offer built‑in overload protection, and achieve accuracies...
AutomationDirect has added the Schmersal PROTECT PSC1 safety controller to its catalog, offering two base models—PSC1‑C‑10 and PSC1‑C‑100. Both units deliver 14 safe inputs rated up to PL e or SIL 3, multiple safe outputs, and optional built‑in fieldbus support for EtherCAT,...
Laura DiBella, chair of the Federal Maritime Commission, says the agency must reinforce a global perspective after COVID‑driven supply‑chain shocks. She frames the FMC as evolving toward a consumer‑protection model that safeguards U.S. importers and exporters. DiBella stresses proactive investigations...
Barclays released a research paper flagging the risk of stranded transition assets, suggesting that wind and solar projects could lose value despite soaring oil and gas prices. The paper arrives amid heightened geopolitical tension in the Middle East, which has...
In this episode, Kathy Fulton, Executive Director of the American Logistics Aid Network (ALAN), explains how the nonprofit mobilizes supply chain professionals to respond to disasters, leveraging data, industry networks, and partnerships with logistics firms. She highlights the evolution of...
Torc Robotics is extending its autonomous‑truck program to Michigan, testing the latest Freightliner Cascadia‑based chassis on snow, ice and rain‑slicked roads. The initiative marks a strategic shift from the Sun Belt corridors that dominate the industry, allowing Torc to validate...
Dragonfly Energy showcased its lithium‑iron‑phosphate battery‑powered auxiliary power unit (APU) at the Truckload Carriers Association meeting, targeting the 10‑hour mandatory rest period for drivers. The battery, charged by the truck’s alternator, can run the sleeper‑cab’s heating, cooling and electricity without...
The U.S. Postal Service has placed an embargo on Priority Mail Express shipments until Friday following a chemical spill at FedEx’s Memphis World Hub on Feb. 25. The spill forced a partial shutdown of the facility, which can sort up to 484,000 packages...
GE Vernova has been awarded a contract by Italy’s IVPC Group to supply 17 on‑shore wind turbines, delivering more than 100 MW for the Fortore wind farm in Benevento. The 6.1 MW, 158‑metre machines will be delivered starting in the second quarter...
Descartes Systems Group has launched OpsForce, an AI‑driven agent suite on its Global Logistics Network (GLN) to automate freight‑visibility workflows. Leveraging real‑time, clean data, the agents engage drivers, manage exceptions, and capture documentation for shippers, brokers, carriers and logistics providers....
The timing of our China Macro Watch report on February 25 has proven fortuitous. In that note, we laid out why Beijing is unlikely to lift its 45mn-ton aluminum output cap — a policy that has effectively anchored global supply...
Freight brokers, what are you doing? You must protect the Zyn and other lip nic products
The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) will soon publish an action plan that sets a stretching target for procurement spending with UK‑based small and medium‑size enterprises (SMEs). Minister Baroness Liz Lloyd announced the strategy in response to a...
Manufacturers: how do you know if cloud SCM enhancements fit your reality? Assess future state operating models and product capabilities against your workflows and data. It's about how the software truly works day-to-day. #SCM #Cloud https://t.co/K8BkrmvMyN
ISM and flatbed freight data are showing the same thing: the industrial economy is starting to ramp up. The war in Iran will also drive more strength in manufacturing, as military related manufacturing is approx 8% of all US domestic...
Enterprise Ireland has launched Propel Ireland, an innovation centre designed to accelerate collaboration, research and supply‑chain development in the country’s offshore wind sector. The hub aligns with the Powering Prosperity strategy and Ireland’s ambition to install up to 37 GW of...
Because this world needed a countdown clock for the end of Section 122 tariffs: https://t.co/fhDXSjks01 https://t.co/MvpXbuNHh5
"There is little US LNG producers can do to immediately replace lost Qatari cargoes" https://t.co/ZAZe4MzpoI "American export plants are running nearly full tilt with most cargoes locked into long‑term contracts." https://t.co/3nYYZwRyaA
Memory manufacturers such as SK hynix, Samsung and Micron have moved to hourly DRAM pricing contracts, forcing OEMs to secure quotes within a single hour. The shift reflects soaring AI‑driven demand that makes prices fluctuate by the hour, prompting faster settlement...
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Asian tech stocks reel as US-Iran war threatens infrastructure and supply chains https://t.co/oxpKfheSqI via @scmpnews
Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) unveiled a £150 million works programme to upgrade Metrolink’s tracks, trams and workforce, kicking off this spring. Temporary closures begin over Easter weekend at key stations such as Trafford Bar and Deansgate‑Castlefield, with rail‑replacement services on...
As we roll into March, we continue to see signs that the tightening trend has legs. Blue markets = tightening momentum Orange markets = loosening momentum Atlanta is the only major market in the US that is experiencing a...
After a totally fair and neutral arbiter completes its not-at-all-reverse-engineered investigation and calculates totally unrigged tariff recommendations that just so happen to match the previous ones
Regional Container Lines (RCL) announced a General Rate Increase for cargo moving to and from the Middle East, effective March 2, 2026. The surcharge adds $2,000 per 20‑foot container, $4,000 per 40‑foot high‑cube container and $4,000 for special equipment such...
Fertilizer manufacturers in South Asia are beginning to cut output due to an outage at Qatar’s LNG export plant ⚠️ 🇮🇳 Some Indian manufacturers started reducing production at urea plans 🇵🇰 Pakistan’s gas distributor declared FM on to fertiliser plants https://t.co/LUjKJcUg25
Alpha Trains and logistics operator Lineas have signed a lease for two Stadler EURO9000 hybrid locomotives, reinforcing their partnership on the strategic Rhine Alpine north‑south freight corridor. The units are part of Alpha Trains’ 2023 order of twelve EURO9000s, with the first...
Trump’s Hormuz strategy may raise energy costs as India faces fertilizer and LNG supply risks | Mathrubhumi English https://t.co/BTL63LOcou
Sourceability appointed Sam Stephens as chief procurement officer to lead data‑driven sourcing worldwide, emphasizing analytics and scalable processes. Lucid Group named Neil Marsons, former Rolls Royce procurement chief, as senior vice president of supply chain to bolster its EV production in...
Nanjing Tanker, a Shanghai‑listed subsidiary of China Merchants Group, has signed a contract for three 6,600 dwt stainless‑steel chemical carriers with Yangzhou Dingheng Shipyard. The $71 million deal, including tax, targets delivery in the first half of 2028 and adds to the...
U.S. apparel imports in 2025 show the category’s share of consumer spending slipping to 2.08%, down from 2.10% in 2023 and 2.23% in 2021. The decline signals a reshaping of sourcing strategies, with analysts highlighting four emerging trends: accelerated nearshoring...
Bloq.it and Evri have sealed a multi‑year partnership to embed Bloq.it’s NEXT smart lockers and its new standalone returns unit, drop, across hundreds of Evri locations in the UK. The first installations launch in March 2026 at East of England...
Canada’s 2025 Defence Industrial Strategy, backed by an $81.8 billion budget, earmarks $6.6 billion to boost domestic defence production and supply‑chain security. The new Build‑Partner‑Buy framework directs procurement toward sovereign capabilities such as aerospace, land and marine platforms, ammunition, and uncrewed systems....
Northwestern Europe’s key ports—Antwerp, Rotterdam and Hamburg—are shifting from bulk cargo to containers, with a 19 % drop in liquid bulk at Antwerp in 2025. Container traffic is the only growth segment, led by Hamburg’s 7.3 % increase, while Rotterdam grew 3.1 %...
Pharmaceutical firms are accelerating onshoring efforts, with more than $270 billion pledged for U.S. manufacturing since early 2025 and 80% of global producers weighing domestic or near‑shore options. Legislative moves such as the BIOSECURE Act and incentives like BARDA Project NextGen are...
European shipowner UECC ordered two 3,000‑ceu multi‑fuel battery hybrid PCTCs from China Merchants Jinling Shipyard. The vessels combine LNG engines, battery storage, and an aerodynamically optimised hull to reduce fuel consumption and emissions, and include shore‑power and real‑time emissions monitoring....
The article argues that leaders’ overreactions to normal variation, waste, and mistakes generate fear that silences improvement efforts. Across his four books, the author shows that tools like Lean or Kaizen succeed only when leadership responds calmly and proportionately. Overreactive...
GE Aerospace’s 2025 shareholder letter spotlights a simple tape‑dispenser fix that illustrates the company’s deep‑rooted lean culture. The CEO describes how frontline empowerment, respect for people, and the SQDC framework drive continuous improvement across the factory and supply chain. Small...
In this episode, Kevin Lawton chats with Gary Allen of Ryder about the rapid evolution of warehouse technology, focusing on automation and AI. Allen explains how automation—from autonomous mobile robots to autonomous forklifts and emerging humanoids—is becoming more affordable and...
Automotive logistics providers such as Geodis and CEVA are balancing cost efficiency, risk mitigation and speed across OEM and aftermarket flows. Ocean freight remains the primary mode, while air freight is reserved for line‑down prevention, recovery and high‑value spare‑part deliveries....
